It is well known for electric dry razors to be equipped with long hair trimming devices for trimming and shaping hair in areas where longer hair is allowed to grow, such as sideburns or moustaches, as well as shaving foils or other forms of cutter for use in areas where it is desired to shave very closely to the skin surface. Usually the trimming device is selectively actuable and it may be movably mounted to the dry razor for adjustment between operative and inoperative positions. In one well known example, a razor with a handle on which a safety razor cartridge is mounted for use as a conventional wet razor, and the handle also includes an electrically driven hair trimmer which can be either fixed in position or movable between a stowed position and a position suitable for use. A common drawback of these known razors is that due to their dual purpose and the trimming devices being of secondary importance in comparison with the main use of the razors for shaving, the trimming devices are not as a rule optionally positioned in relation to the razor handle to facilitate most effective and convenient use. In addition, a single trimmer configuration, which is most commonly relatively long and straight, is not ideal for all hair trimming and shaping needs and demands.
A battery operated electric razor currently marketed by Braun GmbH, and sold under the trade mark cruZer, is provided with a trimming unit that is mounted on the main casing of the razor for movement from an inoperative position to an operative position. The trimmer unit is provided with two blade assemblies positioned opposite one another with respect to an axis about which the trimmer unit is rotatable for selecting the blade assembly that is to be used. One blade assembly is long and straight and the other is relatively short and curved. When the trimmer unit is switched on both blade assemblies are driven although only one can occupy the operative position in which it is usable for trimming and shaping hair. Thus, the battery power consumed in driving the inoperatively positioned blade assembly is wasted.